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Amish believe in bush values Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9365http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9365
Bush rallies 20,000 here
Diverse crowd crams airport to see president
By P.j. Reilly And Aileen Humphreys
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Oct 28, 2004 9:58 AM EST
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Eighteen-year-old Katie Eckert was on a mission Wednesday.
The senior at High Point Baptist Academy in Geigertown left her home at 4:30 a.m. to travel to Lancaster Airport, hoping to see President Bush.Sporting a white T-shirt with the phrase "Class of '05 Seniors for Bush" printed in marker on the back, Eckert stood in the chilly October air on an airport runway for more than four hours.
And then the president walked on-stage, barely 30 yards from where Eckert stood.
"It was so exciting," she said. "I can't believe it. I'm going to vote next week in my first election and I wanted to see the person I'm going to vote for for president."
About 20,000 people braved cool weather and massive traffic jams Wednesday morning to see President Bush and his wife, Laura, during their campaign stop at the Manheim Township airport.
Township resident Faye Royer said she arrived at the airport's entrance on Airport Road at 4:45 a.m. and found a substantial crowd already there, waiting to rush the gate to get a prime spot in front of the main stage.
Royer said that when security guards started letting cars into the airport's parking lot about 6 a.m., they also let the people standing along the road walk up to the main gate.
Royer didn't get a spot right in front of the stage, but she said she got close enough to see the man she's planning to vote for on Nov. 2.
"He's really the right man for the right time, and he gets it," she said. "I think all the other issues don't mean anything if you don't have a country - and security is his main thing."
Lancaster County Controller Dennis Stuckey lives in Lititz, barely a mile from the airport.
Stuckey said he left his house around 6 a.m. and finally parked in the airport lot an hour later.
"I think it's very exciting to have the president of the United States just down the street from my house," said Stuckey, who stood a few feet from the stage during Bush's speech.
Because people started showing up to secure their places in front of the main stage as much as four hours before the president's 11:15 a.m. arrival, a series of speakers and musical performers entertained and revved up the crowd during the waiting period.
Among the people who spoke out for Bush and denounced his Democratic challenger, U.S. Sen John Kerry, were Pennsylvania's senators, Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, and U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, who represents Lancaster County.
Musical entertainment was provided by country singer Daron Norwood, the local Matt Goss Band and the Hempfield High School marching band.
Bill and Georgina Rowan, of Dallastown, were in a parking area outside the airport at 5 a.m.
"This is the first time I'm going to see a president," Mrs. Rowan said.
Mr. Rowan, who had a walking cane dangling by his side, stuck his foot into the crowd-control railing to boost himself up for a better view of Air Force One as it touched down on the runway.
"I wanted to see another president before I died," he said.
The other president Mr. Rowan caught a glimpse of was Franklin Roosevelt at Soldier Field in Chicago when he was 14.
Mr. Rowan said he is 99 percent sure he will vote for President Bush Nov. 2, but is keeping an open mind.
Mr. Rowan kept his head down during much of Bush's speech. When it was over, Mr. Rowan said his support for the president had grown.
"He drew the picture a lot more clearly for me, brought out the contrasts," he said.
Mrs. Rowan, who said she is a Bush supporter, was happy the first lady was traveling with the president.
"She has such class and she's just so warm, like someone you'd see at church, or a neighbor," she said.
Sixteen students and three teachers from the Charter School of Wilmington, Del., left their school at 5 a.m. to see the president, according to Mark Thompson, a social studies teacher.
The students are among the school's 45 members of the Young Republicans Club. The club held a lottery to determine who would attend due to limited space on the bus, Thompson said.
Students from the Young Democrats and Young Republicans clubs at the school held a debate Tuesday, simulating the televised debates between Bush and Kerry.
Holly Ragan of East Lampeter Township took her two sons, Michael, 9, and Chris, 8, out of school for the day to go see the president.
"They're at a great age to learn about the electoral process, the campaigning process, and I want them to know at a very young age how important it is that you take the time to learn about your candidates, support them and, of course, vote," Ragan said.
It took Michael just a few words to sum up his impression of the president's visit to Lancaster.
"It was cool," he said.
Several Amish men, women and children were among the crowd Wednesday. As the president and first lady made their way onto the stage, eliciting a thunderous cheer from the crowd, a few Amish men raised their hats and waved them in the air.
An Amish man from Bird-in-Hand, who declined to give his name, said he and a group of farmers he traveled with went to the airport "because we didn't want to miss this."
When asked if he planned to vote in the Nov. 2 election, the man said, "I don't think so. I didn't register."
Mahlon Yoder, an Amish bishop from Punxsutawney, sat on the stage in the stands behind President Bush.
After Bush spoke, Yoder met with the president in a tent behind the stands.
Yoder said he believes most of the Amish want President Bush re-elected.
"They believe in his values," he said.
Yoder said Amish votes are important because of the closeness of the race in Pennsylvania.
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